Particle beam apparatuses can be used to structure objects. For this purpose, a particle beam generated by the particle beam apparatus is directed at selectable locations on the object. Material can be removed from the object at these locations, or material can be deposited on the object at these locations. The removal of material can be achieved by the particle beam being directed onto the object with a sufficient energy to remove material from the object. This process is also referred to as particle beam etching. The removal of material can also be supported by a process gas being guided to the impingement location, which process gas is activated by the particle beam and forms compounds with components of the object, which compounds can be removed from the object. The deposition of material on the object can be achieved by a suitable process gas being fed to the object at the impingement location of the particle beam, the process gas being activated by the particle beam and the activation products thereof leading to a desired material deposition on the object.
The techniques described make it possible to form miniaturized structures on an object with high precision with the aid of a particle beam apparatus. It is also possible for the result of the processing by the particle beam to be repeatedly checked by using the particle beam apparatus being as a microscope to record an image of the structure that was just formed. In a manner dependent on a comparison of the recorded image with a desired result, the further progression of the process for forming a desired structure on the object can then be controlled iteratively.